[reallytired]

Hey team!

I’ve been mia the past month because my job in the public accounting world started. I just wanted to show up to tell everyone who’s been studying AND working that they’re my heroes! I was lucky enough to get to study for FAR, REG, and AUD full time (two out of the way, waiting on my AUD score). I’ve been trying to study BEC the past two weeks and I cannot seem to find the energy to study. I get home from work and literally veg on the couch until bed time. My exam is in a month and I’m halfway through B2, so I’m trying that tactic of studying an hour before work, an hour at lunch, and an hour after work.

Good luck to everyone next Friday! Let’s pray for 75s all around!

B 10/29/16
A 10/1/16
R 9/2/16
F 7/26/16

[Larry]

Although, I'm not in public accounting, it is tough to juggle between work, study and family.

How's the public accounting world for you? Are you doing tax or audit?

I have an interview next week and they're taking me out to lunch. Hope that's a good thing.

REG - 82
FAR - 78
BEC - 76
AUD - 8/27/16

[reallytired]

Yes I completely agree with you. My fiancé has been really thoughtful and understanding about the whole thing so I'm lucky!

I'm in audit. So far, it's very overwhelming. It's been a month now and I still feel like I am doing everything wrong/have no clue what I'm doing. I know it'll get better but it is significantly harder than my last job as an AP clerk.

I'm pretty sure lunch is a good sign! We just took a few people to lunch last week and they all were offered a job this week! Good luck to you!

B 10/29/16
A 10/1/16
R 9/2/16
F 7/26/16

[Larry]

Yeah, as long as your SO is understanding, you will get great support.

I am interviewing for audit as well. It will be a huge change for me as I'm coming from government. As with every job, it starts to get easier as you quickly learn on the job. You'll be fine.

Good luck waiting for your audit score. Hoping for a 75 or better!

REG - 82
FAR - 78
BEC - 76
AUD - 8/27/16

[Wanna_B_TXCPA2014]

@reallytired don't go home if your consistently being unproductive. To keep myself sharp I go to a coffee shop , library , or study at my desk after everyone else has left. I’ve been at this since Oct 2013 with a wife, 2 kids, and jobs that were 45-60 hrs week.

To give myself the extra motivation I sometimes need, I think of my CPA studies as a job requirement. Like a special project that I have to have completed by Dec 2016. This seems to work most of the time. Also I have friend who is also taking the exam and we discuss our study plans in depth daily. # of MCQ!’s to complete, % correct, plans to re-approach material that generate the lowest scores. This keeps both of us very engaged and accountable. I’d find someone in the BEC with the same test or close to yours and try to be accountability partners.

Good luck on your AUD score, I’m sure you did passed ! And all the motivation that you now have to study BEC will make you a CPA in 2016!!!!!!

[Accountant183748]

The morning was always best for me. I don't know how early you wake up, but if you can get up a few hours earlier it helps to get to study in the morning. Although, since you are starting a new job in public you don't want to be completely tired and zoned out at work either since you are learning there too. If possible, I definitely recommend getting BEC done before busy season – it will become so much harder to study!

[cpaMD86]

It is definitely tough! The worst feeling is when you hear your toddler laughing and having a great time, and you're in the other room staring at the computer screen 😐

Good thing is you're almost there! How was your audit exam experience? I am sitting on Thursday for the exam, and then I'll be starting BEC.

FAR: 9/3

[Anonymous]

@reallytired- It is good to hear from you again. I realized that we are on the same pace to finish this couldn't pass again exam. I work full-time(60 hours~) and raise three kids. They are between 4years and 8 months old. My wife and I share responsibilities but she takes on much more than I. She really has been a tremendous support throughout this process. I try to squeeze in some study at work but it was not easy. If I cannot have a quality time of study I realized that I do not retain as much. I stopped doing that after REG. Instead, I have been studying until midnight during weekdays and try to put as many hours possible during weekends. I studied 5 weeks for BEC and did the MCQs religiously. It is very frustrating at the beginning but the calculation and formula will eventually sink in. I did not practice any writing since I write reports all the time at work. Now my question to you is how did you study for your audit? I have been studying since 9/7/16 and feel pretty good right now. I haven't touched a single SIM yet though. I plan on looking through those on the last week leading to my exam which is on 11/12/16. Let me know!

[mtaylo24]

Thanks OP…I couldn't have earned these scores below any other way!

AUD - 1st - 60 (12/12), 61 (2/13), 61 (8/13), 78! (11/15)
REG - 55 (2/16) 69 (5/16) Retake(8/16)
BEC - 71(5/16) Retake (9/16)
FAR - (8/16)

[reallytired]

@papogator24 Well good luck, my fingers are crossed for you! Is the firm big 4? Coming from government will probably help a ton when you have clients that are governmental!

@wanna_b_txcpa2014 Wow that is so impressive! I couldn't imagine having kids and trying to study! I love the idea of staying later at work, I'll have to try it. Right now my fiancé is out of town so I have to come home from work to let our dogs out. Luckily, we've had some down time at work so I just spend that time studying!

@vanche I know, I'm working like the dickens to get all the exams done before busy season! They have me booked at 60 hours a week so I don't even know when I'd have an opportunity to study! I've just never been a morning person, I'm a midday kind of person so I always study during my lunch breaks. That's why it was so awesome studying full time, I could sleep in until 7-8 and then start studying at 9! It was so ideal and I wish I had quit my previous job earlier so I could have gotten all four exams out of the way!

@cpamd86, I couldn't even imagine having kids and trying to study, props to you for that!! Ehh to be honest, I don't think I passed this one. I barely reviewed the week before because it was my first week of work so I was flippin drained all week. I also made the mistake of skimping on A6 stuff like governmental questions, ended up having an insane amount on my exam! Be sure to review as much as you can the next few days!! Good luck, you've got this!

@actioncpa As I've said to others, I admire you for being able to do this while having kids! I have a fiancé and two dogs and I have serious FOMO with just them! How did you retain all of the info for BEC? I'm struggling right now with the sheer volume of formulas and rules!
For audit, I'll admit I didn't study nearly as hard as I did for REG and FAR. I finally hit that plateau where I couldn't seem to study efficiently. What I did for the first two exams was read the book, take notes, and do all the mcq. Audit, I didn't take notes and I didn't focus a ton on WHY I got questions wrong on the mcq! So if I didn't pass, I will totally be able to accept it. I put in about 85 hours for audit and for REG and FAR, I put in 100+. But the absolute best of luck to you, you will kick some AUD butt!

@mtaylo24 I've seen a lot of your posts and I want you to know how much I admire your resilience and spirit with these awful exams!

B 10/29/16
A 10/1/16
R 9/2/16
F 7/26/16

[A1lessio]

@Reallytired – I started studying for the exams and working in public accounting at the same time. I was able to pass audit and I took reg a week after my busy season ended. You will definitely be able to pass BEC, remember they want you to pass! When I first started it was so slow, make sure you use that time to study. Also, after work stay until 7-8 PM and just study. Going home after work is always my downfall. The last thing I want to do is open that book and sit at a desk.

Expect to make a lot of mistakes which can be very frustrating at first, but you will learn so much. Good Luck!

AUD (08/02/2016)

[Anonymous]

@reallytired, I retained most of the info for BEC by repetition. I have told many others in this forum that I printed any and all troubled questions and made a stack full of papers for each chapters. I started ranking them between 1 to 3 stars, 3 star being the hardest! After going through entire stack 2-3 times, I hit only the 3 star questions for all 6 chapters leading to the exam. 1-2 weeks prior to the exam, I bought Ninja MCQs solely to see where I stand. I did maybe 700 of them averaging 70. A week before the exam, I had so much time and felt adequately prepared. Wish you the best luck on 11/4!

[bhunt815]

I had a 5 year old Daddy's girl at home so I actually stayed at work for 1 1/2 to 2 hours at the end of each work day because it was a better study environment than my house. Too many distractions from a very sweet but needy child 🙂

Hang in there hon. It is well worth it in the end. Negotiating a raise has always been the worst part of my year, but I'm enjoying this go 'round.

FAR 04/11/2016 - 84
AUD 05/12/2016 - 79
BEC 07/06/2016 - 81
REG 08/29/2016

[HoosierCPA]

The struggle is real. I'm awaiting my audit score as well. I work full time, have an 11 month old, and another one due in a month! The clock is ticking I would like to be done right around the time baby #2 is born and before the dreaded exam changes come in 2017!

FAR - 78
REG - 72,74,71...please just go away REG nobody likes you!
BEC - 82
AUD - Aug 16

[Lillian]

The struggle truly is REAL!! I am married and have 2 boys, ages 10 and 2. Some days I'm able to hit the books really hard while other days not so much, especially the days when my oldest sits in the living room saying “mommmmmie” over and over and over LOL LOL.
I'm waiting on my score for FAR…wishing Nov 4th would hurry up 🙂

On my way to a CPA

[Substantive Testing]

The way I like to put it is, if those associates and seniors at the big 4 who work 75-80 hours a week can get licensed, then nothing is impossible really.

[Author]

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